Effect of exercise training on cardiometabolic risk markers among sedentary, but metabolically healthy overweight or obese post-menopausal women with elevated blood pressure.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of exercise training on markers of the lipoprotein-lipid profile and inflammatory markers in post-menopausal overweight/obese women with a moderately elevated systolic blood pressure. METHODS: A total of 267 women [mean body mass index (BMI)=32.0+/-5.7kg/m(2) and mean age=57.3+/-6.6 years] underwent a 6-month exercise intervention program. Exercise training was performed 3-4 times per week at a targeted heart rate corresponding to 50% of the maximal oxygen consumption. RESULTS: Compared to baseline values, mean change in relative VO(2) max (the primary endpoint) was of 1.18+/-2.25mL/minkg (p<0.0001), mean weight loss was of 1.4+/-3.3kg (p<0.0001), mean reduction in waist circumference was of 2.4+/-6.9cm (p<0.0001) and systolic blood pressure did not change significantly (-1.2+/-13.0mmHg, NS). No changes were observed in markers of the lipoprotein-lipid profile. No changes were observed for plasma levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor-necrosis factor-alpha and adiponectin. Changes in VO(2) max were negatively associated with changes in body weight (r=-0.26, p<0.0001) and waist circumference (r=-0.16, p=0.01), but not with changes in cardiometabolic risk markers. CONCLUSION: Although exercise training significantly increased cardiorespiratory fitness in these sedentary, but metabolically healthy obese/overweight women with a moderately elevated systolic blood pressure, no significant improvements were observed in their cardiometabolic risk profile.